Certified Association Executive
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Certified Association Executive (CAE) is a professional certification sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Candidates for the certification must meet certain educational and experience requirements as well as pass an examination before the designation is awarded.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Professionals engaged in the field of association management may be qualified to become a Certified Association Executive (CAE).
The association management field is a unique profession that requires its practitioners to develop a broad knowledge of many different topics. From leadership, to accounting, to law, and so on, the disciplines upon which an association manager may call upon are virtually endless. To address the need to provide consumers of association management services with professionals who are well prepared to do the work, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) developed a certification for the field. ASAE's CAE Commission oversees the program, which is widely recognized throughout the industry [1].
[edit] History
The CAE certification was introduced in 1960. It began as an essay exam, but eventually a psychometrically valid multiple-choice exam replaced it. In 2003, the CAE exam underwent a massive reorganization to align the concepts more closely with actual issues faced by association executives.
[edit] Statistics
There are more than 3000 CAEs. 56% of CAEs are the Chief Staff Officer of their association. 21.5% of all ASAE members are CAEs.
[edit] Eligibility
In order to become eligible to sit for the CAE exam, a professional must satisfy educational and experience requirements. At the time they apply to take the exam, an applicant must be employed by an association or an association management company. College graduates must have 75 hours of continuing education related to association management and either three years experience as a Chief Staff Officer or five years in an association staff role. Those without a college diploma must have 75 hours of continuing education related to association management and seven years in an association staff role. Applicants may not have a felony conviction on record and must agree to abide by the ASAE Standards of Conduct. Applicants must also submit fees with their application.
[edit] The Exam
The CAE exam is a psychometrially valid 200-item multiple choice test that must be completed in four hours. The content of the exam is divided into ten domains (the percent of the exam comprised of content from each of the domains is indicated in parentheses):
- Strategic Management (13-15%)
- Planning and Research (7-9%)
- Leadership (11-13%)
- Administration (12-14%)
- Knowledge Management (5-7%)
- Governance and Structure (10-12%)
- Public Policy and Government and External Relations (7–9%)
- Membership (10–12%)
- Programs, Products and Services (12–13%)
- Public Relations and External Communications (6–7%)
The exam is offered twice per year, in May and December. It is administstered in numerous locations throughout the country and around the world. Candidates may only take the exam once per calendar year, so those who fail the May exam must wait until the following May to re-test.
[edit] Exam Preparation
There is no required reading for the CAE exam, but the CAE Commission publishes an Authoritative Literature list. The CAE Commission does not limit its sources of questions to the texts on the Authoritative Literature list, so candidates must read other materials as well to prepare for the exam. It is widely accepted that the three core texts that every candidate must read in order to pass the CAE exam are the Association Law Handbook by Jerald Jacobs, Principles of Association Management by Henry Ernstthal, and Professional Practices in Association Management edited by John B. Cox. All of these books are available through ASAE's bookstore.
A number of sources offer resources to help candidates prepare for the CAE exam:
| CAE Course Sponsor | Type of Course |
|---|---|
| The Association Forum of Chicagoland | Two-month organized study groups |
| The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE's (c)(3) sister association) | Weekend immersion course |
| Georgia Society of Association Executives | Three-month study group each spring |
| Michigan Society of Association Executives | Online 13-week course |
[edit] Continuing Education & Re-certification
CAEs must re-certify every three years. In order to re-certify, a CAE must have acquired 40 points in continuing education within the past three years, and pay a fee.
